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Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the first African Secretary General of the United Nations, has more than a passing interest in politics. His grandfather, Boutros Ghali, the only Christian prime minister of Egypt, was shot by an assassin in 1910. Cairo crowds hailed his Moslem killer, but the family did not intend anyone to forget the grandfather. They adopted his given name, Boutros (Peter), and anointed the new grandchild with the same given name. The family then built a church in Cairo to honor the martyred patriarch. “On his tomb were the words, God is witness that I served my country to the best of my ability,“ says Boutros-Ghali. “For a boy to grow up with such things creates an impact. I felt I would betray the tradition of our family if I didnt play a political role.”